Here we have a pocket watch with a broken centre wheel arbour. This is a very common point of wear in larger watches and is caused by the pressure exerted when changing the time. The safest way to repair this fault is to make a new one from scratch.

1. Here we have an example of a movement with this same fault.

2. We start with a steel bar and turn it in a lathe to cut out the pinion teeth, which we call “leaves”.

3. Once the pinion leaves are cut, the first side of arbour is turned to size.

4. Finally we turn the remaining pivot, and the finished piece is ready to be parted off and fitted into the watch.